Iranian crude oil has kept flowing through the Strait of Hormuz at near-normal levels, despite Tehran-linked attacks on ships that have slashed exports from other Gulf nations, according to a Reuters analysis of tanker tracking data.

Since the joint US-Israeli strikes on February 28, Iran has exported approximately 13.7 million barrels of crude oil. These figures come from TankerTrackers.com, a maritime intelligence firm that monitors the “shadow fleet”, a clandestine network of vessels designed to bypass Western sanctions on oil and gas exports.

While other firms reported lower figures, Kpler’s tracking data suggests a more aggressive flow, with Iranian exports climbing to 16.5 million barrels in the first 11 days of March alone.

In retaliation for US and Israeli strikes, Iran has launched a wave of attacks against shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and regional energy infrastructure. This offensive has effectively paralyzed non-Iranian maritime traffic through the world’s most critical oil corridor, forcing major regional producers to slash their output as export routes remain blocked.

The unhindered flow of Iranian oil stands in stark contrast to the aggressive US intervention in Venezuela. During that campaign, the US implemented a naval blockade, termed a “quarantine”, that saw the military actively seizing tankers and intercepting vessels to choke off the nation’s maritime exports.

“I’m surprised, given their successful seizures of Venezuela-related vessels this past December, that the US did not initiate a similar campaign before starting this conflict, or has not done so at this time,” said David Tannenbaum, a director at consulting firm Blackstone Compliance Services.

It is worth noting that before the February 28 strikes, Iran had boosted exports to about 2.17 million barrels per day (bbl/d) in February, anticipating Israeli-US military action, according to Kpler data. The data also showed record Iranian oil exports hitting 3.79 million bpd during the week of February 16.